The castle behind Disney's castle

Once upon a time in the 19th century, far, far away in the Bavarian Alps of Germany, there lived an eccentric king, Ludwig II.

In 1869, Ludwig commissioned a castle that he wanted built high above the village on a steep rock. Little did Ludwig know that one of the castles derived from his imagination would not only preserve his legacy in Bavaria, but forever make its mark on pop culture.

Before the construction of Disneyland, Walt Disney and his wife Lillian took a European tour. A Disneyland representative confirms that the time he spent at Neuschwanstein Castle was indeed the inspiration behind the Sleeping Beauty Castle.

In many ways it makes sense that Walt Disney would be compelled to share Ludwig's vision. Like Walt Disney, King Ludwig II thought outside the box and was known as "The Eccentric King." He conceived many projects that were before their time.

Neuschwanstein, which Ludwig dedicated to his favorite composer, Richard Wagner, was his most notable. Unlike the traditional, dark castles of medieval architecture, Neuschwanstein's bright colors and fairy tale-like location gives it a majestic essence. Also like Walt Disney, Ludwig II was an innovator. The castle was the first of its kind built from using many technological advances never before used.

The designs of the rooms and their gaudy decorations perpetuate the legacy of Ludwig's over–the-top personality. From the interior of the castle are breathtaking views of the Black Forest and German Alps. From inside, visitors also get a glimpse of Queen Mary's Bridge, a narrow bridge in the rear that Ludwig dedicated to his mother, where beautiful views of the castle can be seen.

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Germany with an estimated 1.3 million visitors a year – sometimes up to 6,000 people per day. Like Disneyland and Walt Disney World, visitors from around the world travel to witness the magic for themselves. King Ludwig II and Neuschwanstein captured Disney's imagination, and Disney, in turn, has forever captured ours.